Gogo’s upcoming LEO satellite service has a new name. Now branded Galileo, the company also expanded the antenna options, enabling even higher speeds on larger business jets.
Low Earth Orbit
easyJet talks up AirFi deployment success, future program plans
EasyJet has not been shy about the success of its adoption of AirFi’s on-board shopping and entertainment platform in recent months. And the carrier is just getting started with the system. Simon Cox, the carrier’s Director for InFlight Retail, recently shared some insights with PaxEx.Aero on what’s next as the program matures.
AirFi hypes LEO IFC option on cusp of launch
It could come online within the next few days. The company is confident that timeline won’t stretch past a few weeks. And AirFi’s LEO customers want the service yesterday.
AirFi snags trio of customers, including new LEO install
Inflight entertainment is coming to three more airlines, powered by AirFi’s streaming IFE solution.
Hanwha sets stage for aero ESA trials later this year
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Phasor’s ESA technology will enter ground testing later this year, with hopes of getting airborne by Q1 2024. This time, however, it will be under the Hanwha brand name, as the company pushes forward with its commercial aero goals.
ThinKom sees ESA integration as a Plus for connectivity hardware
Looking to combine the best-in-class antenna performance with an electronically steered solution for multi-constellation support? ThinKom may soon have a new “Plus” option available.
Removing inflight connectivity friction, and maybe creating another problem along the way
Step on board a plane flying with the SpaceX Starlink satellite network and you’re online immdiately. There’s no capture portal, no extra clicks. And that approach may also limit Starlink’s reach into the market, in a somewhat unexpected way.
Starlink shines on JSX
Of course it works; this was a media demo flight, after all. But the fact that the Starlink internet service works so well on the JSX fleet was never a sure thing; the program had a few hiccups along the way. But the overall performance was impressive, and in a couple ways that were true differentiators from competing solutions.
Intelsat adds more LEO/GEO capacity with Eutelsat/OneWeb deal
Intelsat will expand its partnership with Eutelsat and OneWeb, securing additional capacity for its mobile connectivity solutions over Europe, the Middle East, and the Pacific.
Viasat, Inmarsat receive provisional merger approval from UK
Should the Viasat/Inmarsat merger eventually close, the company may need to send a thank you present to the Starlink team at SpaceX. After four months of additional review, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) issued a provisional approval to the combination, and the upstart LEO operator is cited as a major factor in the determination.